The Hailongtun Tusi Fortress Site, Guizhou Province China, has been added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Hailongtun is a significant heritage site. The site offers visitors a magnificent experience of walking to the summit of Longyan Mountain, the site of this Tusi fortress which was initially built by the Yang Tribal family to protect the Song Dynasty borders from Mongolian invasion. Under systems of tutelage such as the hereditary Tusi System, which was used by successive dynasties to maintain control beyond the furthest outposts of their territories, the Yang were a successful and powerful family.

This fortress site also offers unique insights into Chinese warfare in the late 16th Century, as the site of extraordinary historical events that eventuated in the fall of the seven-hundred-year rule of the Yang Clan. The last Yang leader, Yang Yinglong, brought his lineage to an end when he defied the Ming Dynasty and was thoroughly defeated in 1600. His fortress, administrative stronghold, and residential palace were reduced to ashes by the victorious Ming army. He died at his own hand.

Magian was initially contracted for a consultancy to provide interpretation planning and to carry out concept design for the exhibitions, the print graphics and all of the multimedia including a visitor smartphone application and website. This consultancy included the preliminary design of the technical infrastructure as well as the specification of the multimedia hardware for the project.

Following the consultancy, Magian was awarded a contract to carry out the project. This included the design development and production of all of the work that had been defined during the design consultancy. Magian designed the exhibitions to be housed in the restored local farm houses on the site. Magian approached this task by working with the local architecture to incorporate intimate exhibitions with rich interpretation delivered in various formats to appeal to a wide audience.

Magian designed and supervised the construction and installation of the exhibitions in the various buildings on the mountain. These exhibitions tell the stories of the history behind both the power of various Chinese Dynasties and the regional history of strong tribal groups as well as the fascinating story of the site's journey to World Heritage status and the archaeological activity on the site. Magian worked with Mitchell & Stout Architects (NZ) to design the large tent structure for the ticketing and entry area which is approximately 15 minutes by tram ride from the buildings at the base of the mountain.

Magian researched and developed all content in both English and Chinese. Magian designed and supervised the production and installation of all of the print graphics. Magian produced more than 60 multimedia programs in a range of styles. These included touchscreens, multiple synchronized multi-touchscreens and multi-touch tables. There are also a number of hologram projections and video projections, including a hi-res, multi-projector system for the entry tent.

Magian also produced a smartphone application that uses GPS to alert the visitors to where they are on the site and provide relevant information. Magian also designed and produced the project website.

Magian designed and produced 20 multi-channel audio soundscapes. These are located outdoors on the mountain and are a major feature on the site. They bring the landscape to life with re-creations of the sounds that might have been heard on Hailongtun before and during the battles that destroyed the fortress.

Magian designed, specified and supervised the installation of the technical infrastructure and hardware.

All of the multimedia programs operate within the Magian MMaPS CMS software. The soundscapes operate within the Magian DiAC audio control system.

Client:

Unesco World Heritage Site - Hailongtun Tusi Fortress Site

Location

Zunyi, Guizhou Province China